Display box



Feb. 9, 1943. LUX

' DISPLAY BOX Filed May 28, 1941 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 DISPLAY BOX Eugene Lux, New York, N. Y., assignor to Bulova Watch Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 28, 1941, Serial No. 895,512

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to display boxes for items of jewelry and the like.

It is the practice today to package items of jewelry such as wrist watches and the like in attractive boxes so contoured and ornamented that when the box is opened the item is presented to the eye in position against an attractive background, and in a package which itself iscontoured and ornamented so as to make the entire box assembly attractive.

To this end, the boxes are given shapes and contours of various kinds, and this invention has particular reference to boxes, which are contoured exteriorly so that when placed upon a surface, they willbe in a state of instability, unless some provision is made to overcome this. The particular type of box to which my invention has reference is one in which the base is curved so that when placed upon a surface, the box will readily swing or wobble.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of an arrangement in a box having a base of'unstable shape, whereby the box can be set on a surface in a definite position of stability.

This object I attain generally by an arrangement whereby after the box is opened, there would be forced out of its normal position within the contours of the boxs exterior, a device which temporarily assumes an abnormal position exterior to the box contours in which it engages the supporting surface to hold the box against movement, so that the box, when opened for display of the item Will stay in a predetermined position.

My invention relates generally to a new and improved box, in which the outer contour of. the base is curved or otherwise unstable, and the box is nevertheless rendered stable for display purposes. I

These objects and such further objects aswill hereinafter appear or be pointed out are attained in the illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, in which: Figure ;1 is a perspective view of my improved display box, showing the box closed; a

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, except that the cover is shown in a raised position and with the prop or leg in its supporting position; I

Figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end view of my improved display box on an enlarged scale with the cover of the box raised and the prop in its supporting position, and portions thereof being broken away to disclose the construction; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlaged scale taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1, and showing the dead center hinge construction.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown at It! and II respectively the base and the cover of a display box, united by the hinges l2, whereby the cover may be brought from its closed position of Figure 1 into the open position shown in Figure 2, or vice versa.

It will be observed that the box is shown as being of a generally cylindrical configuration, but with the cross-section elliptical, instead of circular. When the box is placed on a level surface, it will be readily rocked or swayed from its position of equilibrium, because the contact of the base of the box with the surface is along a single straight line, about which pivoting readily occurs. While the elliptical cross-section gives sufficient stability to the box as long as the box is closed, it will be observed that When the box is open, as shown in Figure 2, the box is overbalanced by the cover and will topple over rearward.

In order to stabilize the box when the cover is raised, and to prevent its toppling over, I have shown a prop or leg l3, which is carried by a member I4, which is shown by Way of example as in the form of a sheet or plate superposed over the cover of the box and conforming to the configuration thereof. I have found this construction satisfactory in practice, as well as being. attractive in appearance. One end portion [-5 of the plate I4 is shown offset slightly outwardly from the cover of the box and as carrying a hinge 16, the pintle of which is also offset from the cover and also offset from the axis of the hinges 12, both in a horizontal and in a vertical direction. The plate It may be secured to the cover in any suitable or preferred manner, as by rivets or other fastening means indicated at IT, or by cementing, or by both riveting and cementing.

The hinge I6 is shown secured at one side to the end portion l5 of the plate 14, and at the other side it is secured to the aforementioned prop 13. The latter, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3', may .be contoured to conform to the configuration of the box, whereby it is in an unobtrusive position and merges with the generaloutlines of the box, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, when the box is closed, which serves to impart an attractive appearance to the box.

Adjacent to the hinge 16 the prop i3 is shown provided with a protruberance 18 which serves as a fulcrum about which the prop l3 may pivot. This action will be clearly understood from an inspection of Figures 3 and 4; As the cover I4 is swung about the hinges l2, the hinge l6 describes an are about the hinges l2, which will bring it from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4. It will now be observed that the hinge I 6 has travelled inwardly towards the base l0, thereby moving the upper end of the prop [3 with it, that is in an outward direction toward the base [2. As a result of this inward motion the prop l3 pivots about the point of contact of the protuberance 18 with the base i0, and moves outwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 and finally reaches the position shown in full lines in Figure 4. The dot and dash line position of the prop l3 in Figure 4 indicates an intermediate position thereof.

As will be apparent from Figure 4, when the prop I3 is in the full line position shown therein, it acts as a support which prevents pivotal movement of the base It), even though the cover is in the position shown in the said figure.

Obviously, if desired, the prop may be manipulated by hand at any time so that it will perform its function of support whether the cover is in its open or in its closed position.

As an added feature of my invention the hinges [2 may be of the dead center" variety. In Figure 5 I have shown a hinge l2 as provi ed with a pair of hinge plates and 2i, the former being attached to the cover l2, while the latter is attached to the base l2. A spring 22 of bowed conformation has its end portions bent inwardly so as to engage the hinge plates 2!) and 2|. It is so disposed relatively to the hinge plates that it has two equilibrium positions. The full line position of the hinge in Figure 5 represents one of these equilibrium positions of the spring, while the dot and dash line position represents its other equilibrium position. In order to pass from one of these positions to the other, a tensing of the spring is necessary, so that the cover will tend to move, unless it is brought into one of the two equilibrium positions.

For convenience in manipulation of the cover, I have shown in the drawing, by way of illustration, a construction that I have found very satisfactory in practice. This construction consists in a tab or flap 2'! carried by the plate i4 and connected thereto by the outer lining 29 which covers plate I9. The lining 29 may cover the tab 2! as shown at 30, and have an extension 3| thereon that is led inside the cover I i, where it is secured in place. In this manner, I not merely provide a connection between the tab 27 and the plate [4, but the extension 3! also serves'to secure the plate I 4 to the cover I While the box herein described has been referred to as a display box and is particularly adapted for that purpose, it is obvious that my invention is equally well adapted for boxes used for other purposes. Where the box on which it is used is a display box, such as the one shown in the drawing, suitable inserts may be provided, such as pieces and 25, the latter of which has been shown by way of example, as mounted on the former and as supporting a wrist watch and strap W (see Figure 2).

While I have herein disclosed one illustrative embodiment of my invention it will be understood that the same may be embodied in many other forms, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It will further be understood that the disclosure herein is by way of illustration merely, and is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense, and that I do not limit myself other than as called for by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. .Areceptacle comprising a base that is rockable when placed on a flat surface, a cover hingedly mounted on said base, a prop hingedly mounted on said receptacle for movement relatively ,to the cover for rendering said base stable, and means for moving said prop from an inactive position to an active position upon movement of said cover about its hinge.

2. A receptacle comprising a base that is rockable when placed on a fiat surface, a cover hingedly mounted on said base, a prop for rendering said base stable, said prop being mounted for movement relatively to the cover, and means for moving said prop from an inactive position to an active position by movement of said cover about its hinge.

3. A receptacle comprising a base that is rockable when placed on a flat surface, a cover hingedly mounted on said base, a prop for rendering said base stable hingedly mounted on said cover, and means for moving said prop from an inactive position to an active position by movement of said cover about its hinge.

4. In combination in a display box: a body, a cover, hinge means uniting said body and cover, a prop, a pivotal mounting for said prop on said cover, the axis of said pivotal mounting being parallel to but offset from the axis of said hinge means, so that said pivotal mounting is moved bodily about the axis of the hinge means when the cover is moved about its hinge means and means on said prop which engages the body member when the cover member is moved to open position to cause said prop to pivot about its pivotal mounting to a position in which it projects therefrom and thereby acts as a support for the box.

5. In combination in a display box: a body, a cover, hinge means uniting said body and cover, a prop, a pivotal mounting for said prop on said cover, the axis of said pivotal mounting being parallel to but offset from the axis of said hinge means, so that said pivotal mounting is moved bodily about the axis of the hinge means when the cover is moved about its hinge means and means on said prop which engages the body member when the cover member is moved to open position to cause said prop to pivot about its pivotal mounting, said means on said prop being positioned adjacent to said pivotal mounting and said pivotal mounting being so positioned relatively to said hinge means that when the box is opened by moving its cover about said hinge means, the pivot of said pivotal mounting will move inwardly toward the body and said prop will be caused to pivot about said fulcrum means and to move from its position adjacent to said body to a position in which it projects therefrom and thereby acts as a support for the box.

6. In combination in a display box: a body, a cover, hingemeans uniting said body and cover, a prop, a mounting for pivotally supporting said prop on said cover, the axis of said mounting being parallel to but offset from the axis of said hinge means, and means on said prop positioned adjacent to said pivotal mounting, said pivotal mounting being so positioned relatively to said hinge means that when the box is opened by moving its cover about said hinge means, said prop will be caused to swing from a position adjacent to said body to a position in which it projects therefrom and thereby acts as a support for the box.

EUGENELUX. 

